Kara leads, manages, and provides strategic direction to the regulatory affairs team on key programs and initiatives in the federal regulatory space that help to move forward the priorities of the APTA for the advancement of our profession in the area of payment and public policy. She also is responsible for leading member initiatives and developing policies and programs that promote the practice of physical therapy. Prior to joining APTA, Kara was a health care consultant with Drinker Biddle and Reath, where she developed and executed comprehensive public policy strategies for her clients that integrated legislative, regulatory, and communications efforts. She also served as an Attorney Advisor for the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals and clerked with the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms.

Kate is the director of health policy and payment at APTA. She has been working at APTA since 2018, first as a sr. specialist of policy and regulatory affairs, and since January 2022 in her new role as director. Before joining the association in 2018, she was policy expert for Centene Corporation, focusing on Affordable Care Act-compliant health care products. Her duties included monitoring state and federal legislative developments in the health care industry, developing company policy, and advocating on the corporation’s behalf to state and federal regulators. Prior to that, she was the ACA officer at the Illinois Department of Insurance, where she assisted the director in creating and implementing policies. She received her bachelor’s degree in English from Oklahoma State University and her law degree from DePaul University College of Law. She is a member of the Illinois Bar.

Before joining the association in 2019, he was the west region state public policy director for the National Federation of Independent Business, where he led a team of state lobbyists and grassroots professionals in 15 western states, addressing their members’ concerns about the cost of health insurance, which is one of the top challenges in operating a small business. He began his government affairs career at Shaklee Corporation, a dietary supplement company, followed by working in state government affairs at AT&T. In addition to his work in the association and corporate sectors, he served in public sector positions, including at the Port of Oakland and the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.

His areas of expertise include telehealth, administrative burden, LCDs/NCDs, and post-acute care. Before joining the association in 2019, he was a senior director of state policy for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, focusing on legislative and regulatory policy development. Prior to that, he was the director of health policy at law firm Powers Pyles Sutter and Verville. Previous positions also include director of the Medicaid Resource Center at the National Association for Home Care and Hospice, contracts and grants specialist in clinical research administration for the MedStar Health hospital system, and associate at the Maryland Office of the Attorney General. He received his bachelor’s degree in history , with a minor in government, from Bowdoin College and his law degree with a concentration in health law from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He is a member of the Maryland and District of Columbia bars.